A machine for applying carrier stock to substantially identical containers, such as beverage cans, of the type noted above, is exemplified in Braun U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,682. The carrier stock applied by such a machine is of a type made, as by die cutting, from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene, so as to have band segments defining container-receiving apertures in longitudinal rows.
As exemplified in the Braun patent noted above, the machine comprises a conveyor for conveying the containers longitudinally, in longitudinal rows. Moreover, the machine comprises a wheel assembly rotatable on a transverse axis. The wheel assembly includes a first wheel and a second wheel spaced transversely from the first wheel. The first and second wheels have jaws in transversely opposed pairs, each pair including a first jaw mounted to the first wheel in a fixed position and a second jaw mounted to the second wheel so as to be transversely movable toward and away from the first jaw of such pair. The jaws are used for receiving the carrier stock, stretching the carrier stock transversely as the second jaws are moved away from the first jaws, and moving the carrier stock downwardly past the upper rims of the containers as the wheel assembly is rotated and the containers are conveyed past the rotating assembly.
After the carrier stock has been applied to the containers, the carrier stock is severed transversely into individual carriers, each carrying a small number of the containers (e.g., six containers) in a rectangular array. Commonly, the rectangular array has two longitudinal rows and three transverse ranks. The rectangular array may have a different arrangement, such as three longitudinal rows and two transverse ranks.
As illustrated and described in the Braun patent noted above, the machine is used to apply the carrier stock to the containers in a rim-applied carrier position, in which the carrier stock engages the containers near the upper rims. Also, generally similar machines are known for applying carrier stock to such containers in a side-applied carrier position, in which the carrier stock engages the containers along the side walls.
Such machines for applying carrier stock in a rim-applied carrier position and such machines for applying carrier stock in a side-applied carrier position are available commercially from ITW Hi-Cone (a division of Illinois Tool Works Inc.) of Itasca, Ill., under its "Hi-Cone" trademark.
A need has arisen, to which this invention is addressed, for a machine capable of applying carrier stock to substantially identical containers, such as beverage cans, selectively in a rim-applied carrier position or in a side-applied carrier position.